At a gun show a couple weeks ago, I found this blued steel sight adjustment tool (1940-1958).
The one on the right is the tool that came with the Model 28-2 Highway Patrolman I bought brand new in 1975.
Here's the fun part: I paid $40 for the blued steel screwdriver.
I'm on a roll.
JP

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Was junk box diving not long ago in a high traffic shop not far from here... I know that at least 20 of our members haunt this place waiting to pounce... just before my knees gave out I dredged up a blued steel screw driver in near perfect conditon... was in the folds in the bottom of the box... Asked and answered.... $5.... SOLD! was my reply.

you both are dirty dogs!

Great Deals!!!!!

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

Hate to one-up ya. I was at an antique shop, paying my bill at the counter. Looked at the pile of junk in a tray in the case, staring back at me was a Registered Magnum sight adjustment tool.
I asked how much? The guy was upset because he had just finished writing up the sales slip. "Your going to make me write out another slip for a lousy $1.00?" I said "YUP". He reached in, dropped it in my bag and said, "Get out before I change my mind." I have been back a number of time, since then I have bought several newer S&W screwdrivers from him.

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Don Mundell

I have never thought of myself as "lucky," now I know why......all of you clowns stole all my luck.......

so, lets see.....out of 3 posts we have;

2 blued knurled screwdrivers----value $300
1 Pre-War Reg. Mag. SAT--------value $500+

total cost to owners(thieves)-------$45

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

I'm not sure where the OP got the idea blue steel drivers were produced up until 1958. I'd put their demise much earlier. 1958 was mid way along in the knurled aluminum production.

Yes, I've scored a few in the past. The best being one in a shotgun shell box full of 357 Magnum parts. Like a barrel and cylinder, plus misc. I can't even remember what the other stuff was. My wife was along for the scenic drive. I was walking along the aisles and saw the box. I knew the guys in passing well enough to say "hi". Just being curious, I lifted the barrel out and then the cylinder. Right there in front of God and everyone was an unblemished knurled blue screwdriver. So I picked it up with 2 fingers and asked the guy "how much". Notice by that point I was in full cardiac arrest. I hadn't taken a breath for a little too long. The seller said "you need a screwdriver?" I uttered a "yeah". He nudged his partner and the guy just gave me a disgusted glance and said "$1". So with all the energy and care I could muster I produced a single dollar bill and handed it over. The guys on the other side of the table turned their interest to more important things, and I kind of stumbled along gasping for air. By the cross aisle, my wife was becoming concerned and even asked "whats wrong with you?"

OK, it made the 150 mile drive worthwhile. I can't remember anything else from that gun show.

At big shows full of knowlegable collectors I've paid $25 and $40 for them, too.

At an NGD show maybe 8 years ago I spied the last of the reasonable sellers of the fluted aluminum ones. The guy had 4 of them under glass and he was more concerned with watching the folks walk by than paying attention to me. When he looked, I asked him how much for the screwdrivers. He said $5 and handed me the group to select mine. I handed him a $20. He looked confused, then said which one. I just said all 4. He then got an even more confused look and said "You know something I don't?"

A good fishing spot are the little drawers of screwdrivers antique dealers seem to keep around the sewing stuff. No guarantees, but its not a bad way to kill time while your wife looks at junk.

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Dick Burg

Yes, the luck of the draw sometimes is there.

I bought a bunch reloading tools, bullet molds, and other odds and ends from the nephew of a reloader. Since the nephew had no interest in reloading, he had no interest other than selling the boxes full of "junk". Well, in one of the boxes was TWO pristine S&W sight adjusting tools!

I thought that was pretty late, too. But it came straight out of SCSW, 3d Edition, page 34. I wonder if it is a typo - and should read, "1948." But the paragraph before it says that the nickel knurled handled screwdriver was from 1940-1948. The following paragraph says the aluminum handle started in 1958, replacing the blued steel one. Somebody should ask Jim Supica.
Anyway, that was my source.
JP

Well, I can't resist...
1st time I hit paydirt was my cousins husband. Helping a friend move an old gun cabinet he found a blue knurled SAT in the bottom and gave it to me knowing I liked guns.
2nd time was when I won a set of dies on E-bay worth $30 and my winning bid was $30. When they arrived in the mail, also in the box was a blue knurled SAT.
3rd time was at a yard sale by the family of a deceased reloader. I was charged $6 for a can of brass and a little nickel knurled screwdriver lying with junk in an old tool box that I had never seen or heard of before. It just looked like a miniature SAT. When I opened my SCSW book at home, there it was, a Reg Mag/prewar SAT. When I checked completed auctions on E-bay the last two that sold were $900 and $1000.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

You guys are killing me!!

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

This must be show and tell time for when the Gods of Smith & Wesson smiled on one. Therefore here's a heart stopper: About 40+ years ago, at the first of the old Great Western Gun shows in Los Angeles, called the FAIR show then as it was held at the old Alantic & Pacific fairgrounds, I was called over to a table by a dealer who was told I had an interest in S&Ws. The man had a GI footlocker under his table that was full of S&W jigs, dies, test tools, screwdrivers,etc. for most models from the American up to the Model 1940 Light Rifles. These were sold as scrap metal to salvage dealers when S&W moved the factory from downtown Springfield out to the new plant, after WW2, where it is today. There were about 300 different items, each stamped with the model number and part for which they were used to gauge or test the part. The foot locker weighed about 250 lbs! I asked "How Much?" he said $10, I said OK if you load it into my truck, or $5 if I have to load it" He took the $5 offer and myself and two buddies put it on a cart and hauled it to the parking lot to my truck. So for some years, when ever I sold an older S&W, for an extra $20 you could have a set of jigs & tools used to build the gun! I finally sold the last batch of about 50 pieces to a fellow S&W collector in Maine who specialized in S&W jigs, etc. Ed.

[QUOTE=rburg;135973410]I'm not sure where the OP got the idea blue steel drivers were produced up until 1958. I'd put their demise much earlier. 1958 was mid way along in the knurled aluminum production.

Dick,
The blued knurled SATs actually overlapped the aluminum knurled for three years '56-'58. It was probably a result of the old S&W philosophy "use them up since we have them" resulting in a time period disparity just like seen with boxes sometimes.

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Doug

Doug,

+1. There's very little about Smith & Wesson that's finite, if anything.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Ed,
I think I know who sold those parts originally. He told me that when they took down the buildings, the walls and any hollow space was filled with scrapped parts.

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Don Mundell

What do the aluminum ones like the one on the right sell for? I was given 2 by a friend shortly after I bought my 28-2.

about $20 to $25 each

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

Don, Interesting. I guess when all those old parts got in the way, dumping them in holes in the walls made sense. I sold the remaining parts to a S&WCA member in Maine, whose full name is buried in my records somewhere, but I think his first name was Art, perhaps. He has been deceased for many years and I've never heard what happened to his S&W jigs, tools & gauge collection, which was extensive. The may be a treasure trove in Maine awaiting some diligent S&W collector! ( I get 1st right of refusal, if you find it!) Ed.

Wow.......

some great finds.

the early bird gets the worm... as long as he knows it's a worm he's looking at.

I would really like to have a Aluminum Knurled Handled screwdriver if anybody has one they would let go at a reasonable price Thanks 41steve